Despite being shorthanded, the Denver Nuggets escaped Intuit Arena with a 101-99 win over the home-standing Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. The Nuggets and Clippers head back to Denver with the series all knotted up at 2-2. One of the biggest questions heading into Game 5 on April 29 is whether Russell Westbrook will be available for the Nuggets.
Westbrook missed Denver’s dramatic victory over Los Angeles due to inflammation in his left foot. The injury limited Westbrook, a major factor in the Nuggets Game 1 overtime victory, to just nine minutes in Game 3 on April 24.
Will Russell Westbrook Be Available For Rest Of Denver Nuggets First Round Series?
After getting hammered in Game 3, it didn’t look like Denver would miss Westbrook that much. Leading 50-48 at halftime, the Nuggets extended their lead to 11 with four minutes to play in the third. The Nuggets would then close the quarter on a 15-5 run to take a 20-point lead into the final stanza.
While Nikola Jokic scored the initial basket of the fourth to make it 87-65, LA slowly kept back into the game. The Nuggets were outscored 34-16 in the period and needed an Aaron Gordon dunk at the buzzer to avoid overtime.
Perhaps the Nuggets wouldn’t have had to sweat out the victory if Westbrook was available. Denver was just 7 of 21 from the field, including 1 of 9 from deep. The Nuggets also attempted only two free throws and committed five turnovers.
Westbrook had played most of the fourth quarter in the first two contests alongside Jamal Murray. In 20 minutes of playing time in the fourth quarter, he has compiled 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers. His minus/minus rating of zero leads the team.
Another byproduct of Westbrook’s absence was that Nuggets coach David Adelman shortened his rotation. Jokic, Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Murray played at least 42 minutes last night. Jokic, Gordon, Braun, and Porter played the entire fourth, while Murray played less than 10 minutes. Peyton Watson, the only Nuggets’ reserve to see double-digit minutes, was the only other player to see time in the final stanza.
What Is Westbrook’s Status For Remainder of Series?
So, when will Westbrook return to the floor? The Nuggets can only hope it is soon.
Westbrook brings a lot of energy to the game when he is on the floor. While not the player he used to be, the 36-year-old can still wreak havoc on the opposition, like in Game 1. Westbrook averages 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. The 36-year-old has canned two treys a game, though he is shooting only .333/.353/.667.
Apparently, Westbrook isn’t giving away any information. ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne asked Westbrook about his injured left foot postgame. After replying to Shelbourne that her question was a trick question, she added, “I’ll be in the building.”
It is probably safe to consider Westbrook as questionable for Tuesday’s game. Denver has not released an official injury list. The Nuggets training staff will likely want to see how his foot reacts to treatment before making a final determination.
Denver may be okay if Westbrook can’t go on Tuesday or perhaps the rest of the series. The Nuggets are 10 games over .500 in Westbrook’s games this year, including 1-2 in the playoffs. But they are undefeated in the eight games he has sat out.
Seeing how Adelman adjusts his rotation if Westbrook is ruled out will be interesting. The Nuggets are 5-5 since Adelman took over for Michael Malone.
Since moving to the first chair, Adelman has not used more than eight players in his regular rotation (10 minutes or more a game). He has cut his rotation to seven players in the postseason, with Jalen Pickett being the eighth player to appear in each playoff contest.
Watson, known for his defense, projects to see an increased workload. Watson is a bigger and less offensive version of Westbrook. This is the 22-year-old guard who produced a career season and his first real playoff action, and he has struggled. He averages 3.3 points on 38.5% shooting and 2.5 rebounds in 15 minutes of action.
Picket saw a huge uptick in minutes after Adelman took over. Over the final six regular-season contests, the 25-year-old guard started three contests and played at least 20 minutes in four of them. He has played 29 minutes over the four playoff contests and may be in line to see more.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
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